Dozens of former students from J.S. Clark High School, which for decades before integration served thousands of black students in and around Opelousas, assembled Thursday to plan their annual gathering, which will be held Oct. 16-19.

Over the years J.S. Clark students have gone on to become Olympic champions, military generals, politicians, doctors, attorneys and more.

Many still live here while others have left the area to find work throughout the nation.

Chubby Haynes, a local businessman, called the annual gathering a wonderful opportunity for himself and so many others to reconnect.

“We were all born here and all went to J.S. Clark. Many had to move to Houston or California to make a living but their heart remains right here. We are all J.S. Clark Bulldogs wherever we live,” Haynes told the organizing committee.

A special event — the unveiling of a walk of honor in Le Vieux Village, the city’s tourism welcome center — will accompany this reunion.

Michael Daniels, who is supervising that project, said it is coming along well and should be ready in time for its unveiling Oct. 18, immediately after the group’s annual parade.

That parade will assemble at 9:30 a.m. at the Magnet Academy of the Cultural Arts, 1100 E. Leo St., the site of the former J.S. Clark High School.

It will then parade throughout “The Hill” area and arrive at Le Vieux Village for the formal dedication of the monument.

Daniels said there are still a few slots available on the walk of honor. Alumni/ae and their families may order engraved paving bricks for $75 or 8x8 inch bricks for $150.

“When those slots fill up, that will be it,” said Daniels, who said he can be reached online at danielsmj200@cox.net.

Other events that weekend will include registration at the Opelousas Civic Center from 2 to 7 p.m. Oct. 16.

Friday will feature a meet-and-greet social at the civic center from 6 to 11 p.m.

In addition to the parade and monument unveiling Oct. 18, the group will host its annual banquet and scholarship program at 7 p.m. in the Evangeline Downs Event Center.

The program will come to an end Oct. 19 with a church service at 11 a.m. in the St. Mark United Methodist Church in Opelousas.

National J.S. Clark Alumni Association President Hubert White said the group remains dedicated to education and will again this year award a total of 10 scholarships, $1,000 each, to St. Landry Parish students.

He referred to the old saying “’Give a man a fish and he eats for a day. Teach him to fish and he can eat forever.’

“For us that fish is education. We want today’s students to do what we did, which is become productive citizens and give back to their community,” White said.

To date, the association has awarded $41,000 in scholarships to local students, $10,000 to the local Boys and Girls Club and many thousands more to other worthwhile causes.

“Our goal is to help educate young people in this parish to make this a better place to live,” White said. “As long as there is a single J.S. Clark student living this association will go on.”

If anyone wants to get involved, the organizing committee meets the second Thursday of each month in the Holy Ghost Catholic Church library.

For more information, visit the association online at jsclarkalumniopelousas.com.